Sun, Mar 27, 2011
Citizens Against Government Waste Has Opposed The Engine From
The Start
Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) issued a statement
Thursday supporting the "stop-work" order on the F136 alternate
engine for the Joint Strike Fighter. CAGW has led the opposition to
the engine since it was first disclosed as an earmark in 2004. The
group contends that pulling the plug on the project will save
taxpayers $3 billion.
CAGW says that despite being repeatedly designated as wasteful
and unnecessary by both the Bush and Obama administrations and top
military officials, the engine received $1.2 billion in earmarks
from fiscal year (FY) 2004 through FY 2010. CAGW has often remarked
that the only general that supported the program was General
Electric, which partners with Rolls Royce on the engine.
On January 6, 2011, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said
“every dollar spent on excess overhead or unneeded programs
– such as the extra engine for the JSF – is a dollar
not available to support our troops and prepare for threats on the
horizon.” On February 16, 2011, Joint Chiefs of Staff
Chairman Adm. Mike Mullen told the House Armed Services Committee,
“I mean, I’ve been doing money a long time. I cannot
make sense out of this second engine. It is two to three years
behind. It’s not going to compete, quite frankly.” A
month later, the House of Representatives voted 233-198 in favor of
amendment to eliminate its funding in H.R. 1, the Full-Year
Continuing Resolution (CR) for FY 2011. After that bill was
rejected by the Senate and a short-term CR was approved, a
bi-partisan group of representative and senators persuaded the
Office of Management and Budget to continue funding the engine
despite the apparent violation of OMB guidelines for spending money
on projects in the CR.
F136 Engine Testing
“While this stop-order should be the final nail in the
coffin for the alternate engine, members of Congress are already
talking about restoring funding in the FY 2012 defense
authorization bill,” said CAGW President Tom Schatz.
“The House and Senate have both voted to eliminate the
program, and the House and Senate Appropriations Committees should
uphold the will of Congress by withholding funds for the program in
every CR that is considered for the rest of FY 2011, as well as the
FY 2012 defense appropriations bill. Perhaps then taxpayers can
celebrate the final demise of the alternate engine.”
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